High Tales of the Week & New Substack

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Quite a few instances — at public cleantech occasions, in regular every day life, and on-line — individuals have requested us if we’ve got a Substack. Now, to me, that has at all times been an odd query to ask. We’ve had this web site for nearly 20 years, the place we publish article after article after article after all. We even have numerous newsletters you’ll be able to join. So, why would we’ve got a separate Substack?

Properly, individuals are throughout Substack nowadays. All kinds of well-known writers and other people have their very own Substacks, and other people have gotten accustomed to subscribing to their favourite writers over on Substack. So, if that’s the place individuals are and what individuals are used to, typically it’s nearly going with the instances. As such, right here is our new Substack web page. We’ve added our present publication subscribers there to kick issues off.

In fact, it will be bizarre and doubtless a bit counterproductive if we printed the identical stuff right here as we publish there. So, proper now, the plan is to publish weekly reflection articles the place I (or maybe typically another person) displays on just a few of the most important cleantech tales of the week. I’ll do my finest to make it attention-grabbing, supplementary to what we do right here, and humorous.

In the event you’d like to take a look at our weekly column on Substack, when you’re not already subscribed, you’ll be able to subscribe right here. In fact, any monetary assist there helps us do all of our regular work. In an more and more squeezed media market, it’s not an exaggeration to say that we will use all the assistance we will get!

Thanks. The primary column might be coming quickly.

High CleanTechnica Tales of the Week

Together with that announcement, I’m reviving our weekly “prime tales of the week” article and publication. Because it’s been awhile, although, I’m going to focus on a number of the prime tales of latest weeks.

Electrical Autos

On the optimistic facet, I feel you need to begin with BYD’s fast stand up the gross sales charts and enlargement into an increasing number of markets. You’ll be able to compensate for quite a few tales on that matter in our BYD gross sales archives. (BYD has additionally launched a scorching new 1000-volt EV structure that may assist propel gross sales that a lot additional. And BYD’s massive information on rolling its “God’s Eye” driver-assist tech into all fashions, even tremendous low cost ones.)

On a a lot smaller scale but additionally extraordinarily spectacular, there’s the robust ongoing rise in gross sales of Xiaomi gross sales, XPENG gross sales, and NIO gross sales.

On the not-so-positive facet, one has to focus on the apparent — Tesla’s gross sales decline in 2024 and even additional, extra dramatic gross sales decline in 2025. It’s not trying good. (And neither is Tesla depreciation.) That mentioned, we’ve got to attend a bit longer to be extra clear on gross sales tendencies. Tesla has frolicked altering the manufacturing traces for the Mannequin Y because of the new model of Tesla’s money cow, and it’s nonetheless unclear how a lot of the 2025 gross sales decline is because of these manufacturing line modifications versus broader demand points. You’ll be able to compensate for all types of tendencies and particulars on this matter through our Tesla gross sales archives.

Additionally on the adverse facet, a prime story has been the EU’s determination to water down its CO2 emissions discount necessities for automakers. You’ll be able to learn some analyses and commentary on this variation, which simply went into place this week, right here, right here, right here, right here, right here, and right here.

Whereas we could also be affected by some backwards coverage modifications within the US and the EU, there’s plenty of good EV momentum constructing in South America, Africa, and Asia. For way more on that, you’ll be able to try the archives of Juan Diego Celemín Mojica, Remeredzai Joseph Kuhudzai, and Raymond Tribdino. They’re doing nice work masking these markets.

Within the US, on the optimistic facet, Hyundai has simply opened an enormous EV and EV battery manufacturing unit in Georgia — stimulated largely by Biden and Democratic insurance policies.

Additionally, regardless of the decline in Tesla gross sales, EV gross sales rose 22% in California in 2024 in comparison with 2023. There’s a quick rising variety of electrical fashions on the US market, and plenty of of them are doing very properly in California and beating their gas-fueld rivals.

To shut out the EV class, I simply love trying again at how a lot EV specs (i.e., vary per greenback) has improved up to now decade. Right here’s a chunk on that led to by some massive latest information: “Enhance in Nissan LEAF Vary from 73 Miles to 373 Miles Reveals Astounding Enhancements in Electrical Vehicles.”

Photo voltaic & Wind Energy

A whopping 92.5% of latest energy capability added worldwide in 2024 got here from renewables, nearly fully solar energy and wind energy.

In a beautiful milestone, the UK obtained greater than 50% of its electrical energy from renewable vitality sources in 2024.

On the solar energy matter, the Sunshine State, Florida, has handed up California for brand spanking new solar energy installations. Florida is doing okay on this regard, however the larger matter is that web metering modifications in California have actually hit that market.

Nonetheless, the California does proceed to energy itself an increasing number of from solar energy, and it’s now attending to the purpose the place there are hours in some days when photo voltaic, wind, and water energy account for greater than 100% of electrical energy demand within the Golden State!

Additionally, extra broadly, throughout the US, there have been a number of hours not too long ago through which solar energy was the #2 supply of electrical energy!

Backing up rooftop photo voltaic has gotten simpler and simpler over time, and now you can get 30-year warranties on house battery programs.

There’s been plenty of progress by way of agrivoltaics. You’ll be able to examine latest tales on that enjoyable new-ish matter at that hyperlink.

I’ll wrap up with a few massive battery storage tales. To start with, U.S. battery capability elevated a whopping 66% in 2024! (Thanks, Biden.) Secondly, BYD (sure, that firm once more) not too long ago received the contract for the most important utility-scale battery storage mission on the planet. In the event you missed that information, see when you can guess what nation that’s in earlier than clicking the hyperlink.

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